Board members Ann Florie, Lonnie Washington and Chairman Kenneth Moore followed the recommendation made two weeks ago by a hearing officer.

Jim Sturdivant said city officials didn't provide any testimony during a day-long hearing to support the firings of David Doran, Barrett Dewitt, Thomas Cleveland, Heath Boackle and Kenneth Prevo.

Doran and Dewitt were found not guilty of wrongdoing in federal court earlier this year. The other three officers were never criminally charged.

All five officers were fired in 2009 after an incident came to light and
made national headlines via a videotape of officers striking Anthony
Warren, a suspect who led officers on a chase through several cities. At the time
the officers were fired,
Birmingham Police Chief A.C. Roper held a news conference at which he
said there was a failure in policy, personnel, training, procedures and
supervision.

Sturdivant's order recounted the testimony of Lt. Dennis Shepard,
commander of the police department's internal affairs division. During
the hearing Shepard offered some criticism of the officers' techniques,
but said he was not in a position to either recommend or support the
decision to fire the officers.